Engine starting device



Aug. 4, 1.9311. J B, DYER 1,817,480

ENGINE STARTING DEVICE Filed July 3, 1929 gl ff@ len ysi

ion to recede along the shaft slightly While being rotated in engagementwith the end face of the gear tooth. If the pinion Were not permittedrto recede slightly it might become interlocked With the engine gear dueto the engagement of the substantially roughened surfaces at the ends ofthe abutting piir ion and gear teeth.

The manually operable means for actuating 'i 42 as shown in the Fig. 2.Lever 40 is maintained in normal position as shoivn'in Fig. 1 by aspringliaving its intermediate por- `tion 43 coiled 'about the stud41,`tlie end poi'- tions"44 andi455engaging` respectively the housing 21'and the lever40 as `shown in the Fig. 1. '1`he`spring43 is so biased asto urge lever 40in alcountercloclivise direction. A stud' 46l issupported up'on the lever'so that itis adapted toen'gagelthe switchplunger 25 when the lever 40 has beeiioperated a prede termineddistancein a couiitercloclivisc di rection. `The lever vhas alstud 50attached'ad jacentthe lower `end thereof, said stud being normallyreceivedf'by alnotch 51 provided in a sleeve 52y which is mountedconcentrically upon a hub '53. Hub" 53'is supported vby the shaft 22,discs 54 and`55 beingprovided on thehub Wherebythe'sleeve 52 is properlysupported onsaid hub. 'A spring 70 surrounding the hub-53^is interposedbetween the pinion shifter 37 andthe disc 55,:said spring normallyspacing the sleeve assembly 52 frointhe shifter 37. lThe `rsleeve 52 hasan edge surface 66 so constructed 'and arranged that it is adapted'tomove the sleeve 52 tovvard` its normal vposition when the engine becomesself-operative. An opening100 is provided-in the sleeve 52.Substantially in alignment With tlie "opening 100 when the sleeve 52 isin its normal pinion demeshing position, therey is arecess 101 providedin the gear casing 21. The numeral 102 designates the cup-shapedhousing'of the 'electro-inagnet 103, vsaid housing having an extendingportion 104 which screW-tlireadedly engages the outer end of the recess101. l/Vithin tl'ie housing 102 an electromagnetic Winding 105is/provided, said Winding surrounding a yhollow core 10'6Whicli slidablysupports aplunger armature 107. An end eoverf108 is pro-A vided for thehousing 102. A spring 109 in the recess 101 engages an annular flange110 upon the stem of the plunger armature .107 yieldablyurging theplunger ,armature to- Wardthefright as regards Fig.` 2 so that the endthereof is normally'in engagement with the end cover 108.` 'The innerv:end oflthe plunger armature 107 extends throughy an openin in the gearcasing 21l into Vthe interior thereo ,said'plunger armature being in coaxial alignmentivith the opening 100 in the sleeve 52 When said sleeve52 is in the non mal, pinion demesliing position. One side of theelectroniagnet Winding 105 is grounded, the other end of said Windingbeing electiically connected with the dynamo 115 which is connected Withthe engine and driven thereby in any suitable manner.

The pedal 40a is carriedon a shaft 120 Which may be the .shaft adaptedto control the clutch of the motor car upon which the present device isused. Upon shaft 120 a 'lever 1211is rotatably supported, said lever,lever 121, connected With the motor lever40 by a rod 123, that thepedal 40aniay be moved orjoperatedto control the clutch throughout 'aportion of'its ranoe Without in any Way engaging the vlever `121 toVaffect Vthe starting motor. 'Also', if it is desired to start theengine', pedal 40a is niovedithrough a suiiicient rrange toentirelydis'connect the clutch before the movement ofsaid pedal causesany movement of the starting pedal mechanism, so that Wlienltliestarting motor is being operated by the pedal 40a the clutch Will beentirely disconnected. y

l/.Vlien it is desired to start the'engine, pedal 40a is depressed sothat the abutment 123 thereof will engage the abutment'122 of lever 121causing said lever to'be moved counterclockivise and throughV thev rod23 exert a counterclocliyvise movement to the motor lever 40. As thelever 40 moves counterclock- Wise,fthe stud-50 Will engage the one sideof the slot'51, causing thevsleeve 52 to be moved toward the right asregards Fig. 1, the spring '7 0 exerting pressure upon the pinionshifter 37 and said pinion shifter 37 through Jche spring 38 exerting apressure toward the right' vupon the pinion 31. If the teeth of thepinion 31Jengage properly with the gear 30 of the engine, the' movementof the lever 40 vc'ounteiclocliwise Will. at a predetermined tiomagnet103 will 'notfbe energized. rllliis permits spring 109 'to' move theplunger armature 107 `tovvardtlie right as regards Fig. 2 so that theinner end thereof Will not eX- tend linto the opening 100 of. the sleeve5,2,

consequently sleeve 52 is free to move towardthe right as regards Fig.14 to shift tliepiniis yoperation of the engine causes the dynamoself-operative. Y

150 to operate andthus energize the electro' magnet 103 whereby theplunger armature 107 will be moved to the left as regards Fig. 2 againstthe effect of spring 109 and thus the other end of saidplunger armaturewill enter into the opening 100 in the sleeve 52 and consequently willlock said sleeve 52 against axial y movement relative to the shaft 22.Thus while the engine is operating, acompletey movement-of the pedal acounterclockwise throughout its entire range of movement will 'beprevented substantially, diie to the fact thatthe plunger 107 extendsinto the opening 100 of the sleeve 52 thus locking it againstlongitudinal movementrelative to the shaft 22 and thereby the slot 51ofsaid sleeve 52 forms a stop which is engaged by the stud of the leverll0preventing.counterclockwise movement of thelever l0 while the engineis The spacing between the abutments 122 of lever 121 and 123 of pedal40a permits movement of the pedal 40a sufiiciently to operate the shaft120v tocontrol the clutch action, and thus the lock prof vided bytheplunger armature 107 does not in any way aiect the operation of thepedal l10a to operate the engine clutch.

The present invention embodies essential 'features of the inventiondisclosed in the raforementioned application of John B. Dyer, in thatthe meshingy of the pinion with the` engine vgear is accomplished bymanual effort before the motor switch is closed, thereby minimizingchances of damage to the gear teeth, and in that the pinion is demeshedautomatically regardless of the status of the operating lever, therebydispensing `with the use of an over-running clutch between the pinionand motor shaft. The present invention constitutes an improvement overthe copending application Serial No. 354,734 of John B. Dyer in that itprovides locking means au!v tomatically operable and under control ofengine operation for locking the electric motor against manual shiftingfor engine starting purposes while the engine is self-operative, thus aclashing otgears and possible damage is substantially K eliminated.

While the form of embodiment ofthe present invention as hereindisclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood thatother forms might be adopted, all coming within theV scope of the'claimslwhich follow.. What is claimed is as follows:' i 1. Engine'starting apparatus comprising,

in combination, a pinion movable into mesh v withk the gear of an engineto be started; manually operable means adapted to move 4theipinion intoenmeshment with the gear;

a latch adapted to be moved out of itsV normal position to engage themanually operable means for retaining it in inoperativeposition ,andanele'ctromagnet for moving and retaining said latch out of its normalposiy tion while the engine isV self-operating. 2..Enginestartingapparatus comprising in combination, a 'pinion movable intomesh with thegear of an engine to bevstarted; means for automaticallyA demeshing thepin-` ion'from theenginefgear when the engine starts; manuallyv operablemeans for moving the pinion into n n-zshvwiththe engine gear andcomprising an actuator, a member adapt-Y ed to transmit motion fromtheactuator to the pinion said membery havingan opening;y

and engine controlled means adapted to exf tend into the opening of saidVmember Y to maintain said member in pinion vdemeshing position duringthe operation of the engine.

3; lEngine starting apparatus comprising in combination, a pinionm'ovable into mesh gear ot an engine to be started;`

with the means for automatically demeshing the pinionrom the engine gearwhen the engine starts; 'manually operable means for moving andcomprisingan actuator,a men-.ber adaptf ed to transmit motion from thevactuatorto the pinion said member having an opening; f

"the pinion int-o mesh with the engine Vgear 10o and electricallycontrolled apparatus adapted y.

to extend into the opening of said vmember to maintain said member inpinion idemeshingpposition engine.v v n 4. Enginestarting apparatuscomprisingv in combinatioma pinion movable intogmesh Awithjthe gearnofanenginejto be started; means t for automatically demeshing theV pin ionfrom then engine gear when the engine starts; manually operableymeansfor movingt the pinion into mesh withthe engine gear and comprising anactuator, a member adapt! ed totransmitmotion from the actuatortothepinion said member having an opening;

a latch adapted to be'moved into the opening' of saidmember when saidmember is ini/the pinion demeshing position; and anA electromagnet .formoving 'and retaining said latch out of its normalA position andv intoengagef ment with tlie'opening of said member While theengine isselfoperating.` A n 5. Engine, starting apparatus comprising incombinationfanelectric motor having a housing 3 av shaft Vin 'saidhousing g Vapinion shiftably supported upon and drivenby` said shaft,manually operable means supportedlz by the housing' for shifting the"pinion into.

during the sel'ffoperation of the.

iii',

izo

engagement With the pinion shifting means to maintain it in normal7pinion ,demesh-ing position when said eleetromagnetiis energized.

6. Engine ystarting apparatus comprising in combination, an eleetriemotor having a housing; a shaft in said housing; a ypinion shiftablysupported uponfa-nd drivenby said shaft; manually operable meanssupported by the housing for shifting the pinion into enmeshxnent withthe gear of the engine for starting purposes; a dynamo driven by theengine; an eleetromagnet supported by the motorhousing and adapte-d tobey energized b the dynamo; and a magnet plunger in the e ectroinagnet,yieldably urged out of en? gagement with the pinion shiftingmeans, butadapt-ed toengage said means and look it in pinion demeshing positionWhile the dynamo -is energizing the electromagnet during the operationof the engine.

7. Engine starting apparatus comprising, in combination, a dynamo drivenby the engine; astarting motor having a housing am.l au armature shaftjournalled therein; apinion rotatable with but slidably supported onsaid shaft; a sleeve surrounding the shaft and operatively connectedwith the pinion for moving said ,pinion longitudinally of the shaft andVinto enmeshment- With the gear of the engine to be started; manuallyoperable means for movi-ng the sleeve to shift the pinion toward theenginegear; and means for lockingsaid sleeve againstfmovement during theoperation of the engine.

vS. Engine starting apparatus comprising, in eombinat-ionfa dynamoydriven by the engine; a starting motor having a housing and an armatureshaft journalled therein; a pinion rotatable With but slidably supportedon said shaft; a sleeve surrounding thev shaft and operatively connectedwith the' pinion for moving said 4pinion longitudinally vof the shaftand into enmeshment with the gear of the engine to be started;manuallyoperable means for moving the sleeve to shift the pinion towardthe engine gear; and eleetromagnetic means automatically responsive tothe operation of the ydynaniofor engaging the sleeve `to* maintain itinoperative duringI the `operation of theengine.

9. Engine starting apparatus comprising, in combination7 a dynamoldriven by the engine ;a starting motor having -a housing and an armatureshaft journalled'thereina pinionrotatable With but slidably supported onsaid shaft; a sleeve surrounding the shaft and operatively connectedwith the pinionvfor moving said pinion longitudinally of the shaft andinto enmeshment With the gear of the enginetobe started; manuallyoperable nature.

` ,JOHN-B. DYER.

